Anybody Else
by Shipperwolf
Summary: Carol knows when he's trying to tell her something. Drabble, Post-S3 Caryl.


**Hey folks!**

**Here's a little sexy-ish Post-S3 drabble inspired by some neat Caryl fanart on Tumblr (see _moose-sketchbook_)!**

**I'm considering writing an addition to this, but am currently on the fence.**

**Let me know what ya'll think, and remember: I disclaim all the things!**

* * *

It didn't really unnerve her that she couldn't find him.

For the past week they'd seen less of each other, and it was fast becoming obvious that this would probably be a normal thing now that they had a dozen new additions to the prison.

Carol herself had been busy helping everyone settle in, assisting Hershel in giving a few of the elderly newcomers some medical check-ups, and putting together a medicine list for Glenn and Maggie to take on their next run.

Between that and helping Rick and Beth tend to Judith, spending time with Daryl had been knocked pretty far down on her priority list.

But it was a quiet day.

And she missed him.

One of the young girls from Woodbury pointed her in the direction of the linen room when she asked if anyone had spotted him, and Carol amusedly pondered his need for new sheets as she weaved her way to his location.

When she quietly opened the door she failed to spot him at first, but the steady hiss of strained exhalations caught her ears. Worried, she flung the door wide, eyes roaming the room before finally settling on the figure on the floor.

She could not keep her eyebrows from shooting up into her forehead, or her tongue from running quickly across her bottom lip at the sight before her.

Daryl, shirtless and shoeless, was on his toes and hands as he rapidly punched out push-ups like a man in a competition. His breaths were quick but deep, coming out between his teeth and sounding much like a human's imitation of a snake.

He had apparently been at it for awhile, because as he pushed upward into the light streaming in from the windows above, beads of sweat glistened and trailed from the back of his neck, sending a very noticeable jolt of heat through Carol's gut.

The door creaked as it swung back on her slightly, and Daryl froze at the sound.

Wet hair whipped across his face as he jerked it back to look at her, and he settled down onto his knees, breaths deep and shoulders rolling.

"Hey." His greeting was gasped out as he caught his breath, and Carol fought the naughty grin that threatened to tear across her lips at the sight (and sound) of him.

"Hey."

"Need somethin'?"

She shook her head, a small grin forming despite herself. Daryl noticed immediately, lips tightening and an eyebrow quirking up at her.

"_What_?"

She shrugged, shook her head again.

"Nothin, just…" When she trailed Daryl stood from his place on the floor, arms crossing across his scarred chest and a wary look surfacing his gaze. He tilted his head slightly, an encouragement for her to spit it out.

"Tryin' to impress somebody with those guns of yours?"

He snorted at her question, a small grin pulling his lips up to match her own.

"Hell naw. I just figured we got a lot more people here to look out for, protect. Older folks. Thought I should start crankin' up the workout while I can."

Carol nodded, eyes darting to a single droplet of sweat sliding a slow trail across his Adam's apple, and the moment she recognized the urge to lick the damn thing away, she swallowed and blinked the thought out her increasingly dirty mind.

She smirked at him, leaning against the doorframe.

"I just thought maybe you were eyeing that pretty little thing you and Rick brought back from the highway or something…"

The words trailed off her tongue as his eyes narrowed darkly, grin fading from his mouth.

"Ain't got time for that shit…"

The air in the room seemed to get thick as he suddenly stepped forward, crossing the threshold of the room to stand inches from her. She blocked his exit unintentionally, and when his arms suddenly moved, she swore she squeaked out loud.

Damp hands landed on her waist to pull her forward out of the doorway, gently directing her to the side to open a path for him to leave.

Daryl met her eyes and she caught the smallest hint of amusement in his blue orbs,

"Besides, I got no interest in impressin' anybody around here."

When he let her go Carol stood stock still beside the door, ears deaf to his retreating footsteps down the hall.

She and Daryl had spent an entire winter developing a language all their own, and she caught on quickly when he was trying to tell her something.

The unspoken addition brought a smile to her lips as she shoved her hands into her jean pockets and slipped from the room, back to the bay to spend her afternoon keeping Judith and watching a certain hunter from the corner of her eye.


End file.
